tempel ov blood - s/t.

Tempel Ov Blood - S/T

16:10

30.87 MB

1. Untitled

2. Untitled

3. Untitled

4. Untitled

I got the new batch of fallow field tapes last night, and although someone beat me to posting the excellent carved cross tape, this debut demo from tempel ov blood is completely different but no less enthralling.

this whole tape is exactly what I look for in non-extreme music - melancholy, heartbreaking, beautiful. it's only sixteen minutes long, but feels much longer - and I mean that in the best way possible.

unfortunately, I know nothing about this band, or artist, as the case may be. searching the internet reveals this site, which bears the same sigil as this cassette's j-card, but I can't tell if they're the same entity.

regardless, I hope to hear more from this mysterious outfit soon. I'd be surprised if this tape doesn't find a place on one of my end-of-year lists for 2014. and this should go without saying, but pick this up from fallow field as soon as possible, as it's miraculously still available. in fact, pick up all of the tapes that are still in stock - you won't regret it.




(buy a copy from fallow field.)


(for preview purposes only.)

prurient - washed against the rocks.

Prurient - Washed Against The Rocks

10:24

19.27 MB

1. Doors Closed In Secrecy

2. Washed Against The Rocks

full disclosure: I haven't fully listened to this yet, so I can't comment on the quality. one track has some synths and little hints of melody, the other is harsh and loaded with static.

but let's be real - this is prurient, who I would say is the most important noise artist of the last decade plus, and any new release is cause for celebration. after this EP on handmade birds, he'll be releasing a new full-length later this year via profound lore.

and he's currently on tour. my girlfriend and I got back from seeing him perform at saint vitus in brooklyn just a few hours ago, and it was one of the best performances I've seen in a long, long time. fernow knows how to put on a show like few others and demonstrated that fact superbly tonight.

copies are still available from thrill jockey on both white and blue-in-clear vinyl so grab one while you can - each color is limited to just 250 copies.




(buy a copy from thrill jockey.)


(for preview purposes only.)

vomir / acerbitas.

Vomir / Acerbitas

1:18:43

142.63 MB

1. Vomir - Untitled

2. Acerbitas - Untitled

vomir obviously needs no introduction. acerbitas is the creation of quagga curious label head michael ridge and he brings a level of brutality that stands up admirably next to the master of harsh noise wall.

this is nearly eighty minutes of absolutely unrelenting auditory destruction. and the packaging is another high-point: the recycled maxell cassette comes wrapped in pieces of a garbage bag and sealed with a sticker, tucked inside of a small clear plastic bag with a hand-numbered insert and limited to just twenty-five copies.

when I discovered this release, I had previously never heard of quagga curious sounds, but a quick perusal of their back catalogue will be enough to make any noise fan take notice. with releases from torturing nurse, dead body collection, kylie minoise, and government alpha, the music alone is worthwhile. then add in the fact that every release is hand-crafted in editions of anywhere from ten to fifty copies each and you have a very collectible label whose releases sell out almost instantly.

although nearly everything, including this split, is sold out from the label itself, several releases are available on discogs...this split included. do your best to support the label and the artists involved.




(for preview purposes only.)

croatian amor - mercure.

Croatian Amor - Mercure

9:49

18.71 MB

1. January Is August

2. Club 406 ft. Kristy Long

you should all know what to expect here, especially after croatian amor's recently-release debut full-length: dark and dreamy synths paired with droning, haunting melodies.

originally issued as a cassette by posh isolation that was limited to just nineteen copies, this 7" version, released by lithuanian label terror, is much easier to come by.

although I got mine from total black, brett has since sold out of both his initial stock and a re-stock. plenty of copies are available on discogs so be sure to grab one - every croatian amor release seems to be pretty collectible.

and the music pretty enjoyable, too, so if you enjoyed that full-length (and who didn't), pick this one up asap. and be sure to check out terror, too, as they've got releases from crown of cerberus, dead body collection, vomir, and black leather jesus.




(for preview purposes only.)

aurvandil - thrones.

Aurvandil - Thrones

53:02

100.31 MB

1. For Whom Burnest Thou

2. The Harvest Of Treachery

3. Summon The Storms

4. Ingen Lindring

because I've been working and not keeping up with hammer smashed sound, I missed out on grabbing the two other tapes in the most recent batch of psychic violence releases. thankfully "thrones," the new release from aurvandil, was still in stock and I didn't hesitate to grab a copy.

although I haven't heard any of their other albums, this one is very dark, very raw, and filled with blistering riffs.

the artwork and packaging are top-notch and includes a second insert with lyrics. it's a great release and I only wish that I hadn't missed out on the other two in this psychic violence batch. definitely grab a copy before this one sells out, too.



(buy a copy from psychic violence.)


(link removed due to DMCA complaint.)

f.e. denning - light and dust.

F.E. Denning - Light And Dust

36:24

71.21 MB

1. Untitled

2. Untitled

3. Untitled

4. Untitled

part of the newest batch from the inimitable posh isolation, this new release from f.e. denning is filled with warm, slightly noisy drones.

whereas rites of passage had a much colder, darker vibe, light and dust feels much warmer and brighter, almost uplifting at times. I'd actually liken it to the crown of cerberus tape I posted a while ago - a great calming release to give your ears a break from the usual vile putridity we all know and love.

I think copies might still be available from the label itself, but shipping costs to the united states will probably be obscene...vacation vinyl in los angeles might also have a few copies, but most of the online distros are already sold out.

but maybe total black will be getting a few in stock...maybe?




(for preview purposes only.)

best of 2013 - part two.

as always, this list is in no particular order and certainly not meant to be definitive. there was a ton of great stuff this year and ranking everything was difficult and, at times, arbitrary - several could easily be swapped out for others.

these are all widely available in (almost) any format you could possibly want - digital and/or analog.

no links will be provided - find them on your own (many are available on bandcamp) and buy whichever ones you enjoy the most. they're all worth your time and money.



top twenty wide releases.

1. a.m.s.g. - anti-cosmic tyranny

satanic, noisy black metal. who ever would have thought a saxophone could be so seamlessly woven into such brutality?

2. the body - christs, redeemers

epic and wintery noise that was the perfect soundtrack to fall. brutal and beautiful all at once.

3. gorguts - colored sands

I could say I was worried this would tarnish their legacy, but that would be a lie. I knew this one would be incredible and it delivered perfectly.

4. circle takes the square - decompositions: volume number one

this one, however, I was worried about. and although it's certainly no as the roots undo, it has an identity all it's own and shows a band that's far more capable and eager to progress than most would've thought.

5. cultes des ghoules - henbane

this one totally took me by surprise. after one listen I wasn't sold, but once I was in there was no looking back.

6. subrosa - more constant than the gods

to say I was excited for this album would be a huge understatement. is it better than no help for the might ones? probably not, but that doesn't mean it isn't an incredible and worthwhile work in it's own right.

7. gris - à l'âme enflammée, l'äme constellée...

the first of two double albums on this list, this new gris record is just what traditional black metal should be. it features interludes between every track that provide a great break from the chaos. an essential release.

8. locrian - return to annihilation

another one that I was hugely anticipating. locrian produce some of the only dark ambient music that I have the patience for, mainly because it's so richly textured and has just the right amount of black metal thrown into the mix.

9. fell voices - regnum saturni

I wasn't a huge fan of fell voices prior to this release, but regnum saturni made me a believer. so raw, so tortured, so dense - just impeccable. 

10. pharmakon - abandon

my girlfriend and I had the pleasure of seeing a live pharmakon performance a few months ago and it was every bit as brutal as I had hoped. can't wait for whatever comes next...

11. deafheaven - sunbather

I don't care how "metal" or not people may think this album is - either way, it's simply astounding. epic, beautiful, and furious, often all at once, there isn't anything else like it out there.

12. christicide - upheaval of the soul

another pleasant surprise, I checked this out when I heard it was being released by hospital productions. angry but strangely melodic black metal with surprisingly strong production.

13. portal - vexovoid

it's portal, what more can I say? I love this band and this album is just as suffocating as we all hoped but with much more clear and precise production - exactly what I was hoping for.

14. cosmic chruch - ylistys

I wasn't in love the previous cosmic church full-length, but this one is absolutely untouchable - easily one of the best black metal releases in recent memory. 

15. wolvserpent - perigaea antahkarana

moody and entrancing doomy blackness...I don't know how else to describe wolvserpent's relapse debut. oh, and excellent.

16. jute gyte - discontinuities

jute gyte never disappoint - that's all there is to it. whatever black metal record adam releases next, I guarantee it'll end up on that year's best-of list, too.

17. FFH - make them understand

the long-awaited debut from this hospital productions staple. the vinyl sold out quickly and then went up for insane prices on discogs. do whatever you can to track it down...

18. the dillinger escape plan - one of us is the killer

I love miss machine and ire works, but wasn't crazy about the last DEP record. well, this one has restored my faith. crushing and catchy, they weave melody into heavy music better than anyone.

19. celeste - animale(s)

the second double-album on here, celeste's newest release is pure blackened hardcore fury with just the right amount of restraint.

20. youth code - youth code

I have no idea what genre this is, but it's still brutal as all hell. there's some industrial, some darkwave, and a whole lot more. they make it all coalesce perfectly.

____

obviously this was an excellent year for extreme music, and there are already several releases in store for 2014 that I'm dying to hear. 

and again - do your best to purchase any of the above albums that you love, then see the artists live and buy their merchandise.

every bit of our support only helps them produce more of the music we love so much.